Incandescent-lamp socket



BEST AVAILABLE com (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. F. MOLAUGHLIN. INOANDESGENT LAMP SOCKET.

No. 493,109. Patented Mar. '7, 1893.

fizeesses;

BEST AVAELABLE COP.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. F. MGLAUGHLIN.

INGANDBSOBNT LAMP'SOGKBT.

No. 493,109. Patented Mar. 7; 1893.

' eEsr AVAiLABLE com UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lNCANDESCENT-LAM P socks-r.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,109, dated.March 7, 1893.

Application filed September 18, 1892- Serial Ho. 445,785- (No model) A the socket or holder, a regulator for controlling,at will, the degree of incandescence of the lamp filament, so that the lamp may be I made to glow either with its full brilliancy, or at any degree of brilliancy between the maximum and the desired minimum. This is accomplished by providing the socket or holder with an artificial resistance which will oppose the flow of the current to the lamp, and which may be included in series with the lamp filament and which is also provided with means for gradually cutting'the said' resistance in or out of the circuit by contin- 2 5 uously succeeding infinites mal increments or decrements, and for breaking the lamp circuit, either when the resistance is all in or all out. i 4

Forms of the socket or holder embodying c the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved socket, with an"incandescent elec- 5 trio lamp in place. Fig. 2 is a view of the socket with'the cap piece and parts connected therewith removed, to show the interior. Fig. 3 is an inner-face view of the cap, removed from the socket shell. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a modified form of socket, embodying the invention and Figs. 5 to 8 are plan views of the inner face of the cap, with the resistance conductor in different positions. 5 Like numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cylindrical shell 1, of insulating material one side-2, of which is removable and constitutes a cap or closure for the shell, so that the inside of the shell is readily accessible.

Journaled in the center of the cap 2, and

extending therethro ugh is an'arbor 3, near the inner end of which is secured a disk 4, of insulating material, and the other end. of the ar- 5 bor, at. the outer face'of the cap, is provided with a inanipulatingbutton or thumb piece 5, by means of which the arbor and disk may. be rotated. Awasher, 6, is interposed between the disk 4, and cap 2. The edge of disk'4, is 6.0

reduced in thicknessoto form a ledge7, fora ring 8, preferably of carbon, but which may. I be madeof other suitable material, which, when introduced into the circuit, will" offer" s'uificient resistance for the purposes-of the present invention. The ring 8,'is not a complete circle, a small section being removed, and aiblock 9, of insulating material is i11 serted in place thereof, and projects a short 1 distance beyond the outer edge of the ring 8. 7o

Secured to the inner faceof the cap 2, there is a metal post or' block 10, to which is connected one of the leading-in wires 11, and this post 10, carries a leaf-spring brush 12, which bears against th'e'periphery of the ring 8, and 7 5 thus completes the circuit between the leading-in wire and the said ring. I

As shown in Fig. 1, the arbor 3, is electrically connected to the carbon ring, at or near one of its ends, by a metal arm 13, and the end of the arbor,-when the cap is in place bears upon a spring contact plate 14, which in turn is fastened at one end to a metallic strip 15, which latter terminates in a spring contact finger 16 4 s Formed on thes'liell 1, i's'a socket-neck 17 for receiving thebase of thelamp 18, and this socket-neck is pr'ovidedjw'ith athreaded'metallic'lining 19, to whichthe other leading-in wire 11, is connected as shown. An opening or passage 20,is'prov ided between the socket neck and shell' l and, through this passage ex tends the finger 16, r'naki1ig contact with the center terminalof the lamp 18, when the lat ter is screwed 'into' the socket-neck 17, the 5 other terminal making contact with the lining 19, in the usual manner. The shell may be provided with the usual bracket connection 21, if desired. The disk 4, with the carbon ring 8, may be rotated through one revolution in either direction, until a stop pin 22, on the disk comes in contact with another stop pin 23, on the cap.

The construction shown in Figs.4 to 8, dif- BEST AVAILABLE Com fers but in unimportant details from that shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 4, the Socket-neck 17, is directly opposite the cap, and the arbor carries at its inner end a small metallic on p 24, in which is inserted a pin 25, carrying at its outer end a leaf spring 26, bent on itself and bearing on the center terminal of the lamp when the latter is inserted in the neck 17. This spring 26, rotates with the arbor and disk 4. The carbon 8, is also strength; ened by a spider 27, of insulating material fixed at the center to the arbor, and connected to the carbon ring 8, at the ends of its arms.

' When the lamp is burning the circuit is through one leading-in wire to the brush 12,

, and carbon ring 8, or a portion thereof, by the and thence to the socketneok lining 19, snd

out through theotherleading in wire. I When the st 22, and 23, are in contact, the insulating lock Qis und r and against the brush list-11d since the block projects fora distance beyond the periphery or contact faee ot the carbon ring 8-, the brush ill be lifted away from the carbon ring and the circuit throng i the lamp will be broken.

The operation of the regulator is as fol= lowsr Assuining that the carbon ring is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the brush will rest on the itisnlatinghlocli 9, and the circuit through the lailllfiwlll be broken, By turn= ing the disk 4 in the direction of the arrow, the block 9 will rid froni under the brush and the latter will then make contact with the carbon ring at a point farthest from the conducting arm is, and consequently the en tire eifective length of the-carbon ring will be included in the circuit; this will offer enough resistance to the current to reduce the glow of the latnpto the desired minimum. if a brighter light is desired, the carbon ring is turned, until enough of the resistance is out out to bring the hung: up tot-he required bril= liancy; such a position of the carbon ring is shown in Fig. 6-, where only ahoutone half of it is included in the circuit. I

To obtain the full brilliancy of the lamp, the carbon ring is rotated until, as shown in Fig. '7, the brush is opposite the arm 13, in which case the resistance is all cutout, and the full current news to thelsnipz- It the re tation of the carbon ring is continued, the brush will again ride upon the insulating block 9, and the circuit will be broken, when further movement in this direction is prevented by the stops. A reverse movement of the carbon ring will then light thela-mp at full brilliancy and gradually dim it until finally it is again extinguished. Thus the light may be regulated from minimum to maximum, or the reverse, and passing through all intermediate stages and extinguished at either point, as desired. I

The regulator is shown in the drawings pro vided with a socket-neck of the Edison type, but it may be readily adapted to socket-necks adapted to lamp bases of other types.

The regulator is applicable to lamps included in circuits charged with either direct or alternating electric currents.

In th fo egoing description the carbon ring is described as rotatin while the brush remains stationa hot it will be readily understocd that t e carbon ring me be held stationary and the brush be cause to travel over it; also the resistance may he formed in other shapes than that of asinigle nine, since any resistance housedwithin t e societ will serve the same gnrpose, so ion as by the movement of the an: key or ot or part the resistance is gradual yarn; in or out hyinsensible de rees. V

Having thus fully described the invention, I ctleim and desire to secure by Letters Peten i. A light regulating socket for incandescent electric lamps, havin an incomplete can bon ring housed within t- "e socket, and provided with an insulatin portion projeotin beyond the periphery the ring, and ohms bearing upon thecarbon ring in the path of .the insulating block, substantially as described.

2. A light regulating socket for incandes cent electric lamps, having a rotatable member housed within thesochet and carrying an incomplete carbon ring provided with an ili= sulat-ing portion projecting beyond the pe= riphery of the ring; a stationary brush hearing open the ring in the path of the insulat ing block, and stops for arresting the move= ment of the rotatable member when the brush bears on the insulating portiomsubstantiolly asdescribed. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAS. F. MoLAllGHLlN.

Witnesses:

MICHAEL G. Pnnnnn'rr, C. L. BROWN.

too 

